Second spell of rains save crops, ease water problems

Rajkot, July 8 (UNI) The second spell of rainfall this week in Gujarat's Saurashtra region has brought cheers to the people as it has improved the drinking water and crop situation.

According to official sources, Bhadar dam, one of the main drinking water sources for Rajkot registered a 10 feet increase in the water level following heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.

Bhadar dam touched a 24 feet level, even as the capacity of the dam is 34 feet.

The drinking water problem in the district has eased following the second wet-spell. The other reservoirs --Aaji, Nyari-l and Nyari-ll, supplying drinking water to the city, also registered an increase in the water level by one to three feet, sources said.

Fodana and Advana dams of Porbandar district, which had been badly hit following the decreased water level, have received fresh inflow in the second spell which has solved the drinking water problems for at least eight months, sources said.

Amreli and Surendrangar districts of the region also got the much-needed rain in the second spell from Tuesday to Thursday. Most of the dams of the districts received sufficient fresh waters and eased the drinking water problems.

As a result, sowing operations have been completed in nearly 80 per cent of the total 19 lakh hectares of agricultural land in the region.

Kutch district had also received rainfall ranging from 50 mm to 150 mm, while Amreli city received season's total rainfall of 675mm, sources added.

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